Undergraduate Student Government held its last general council meeting of the semester May 1.
Two student groups sent representatives to the meeting to propose the establishment of new clubs on campus: Chi Alpha and Baseball Club. Both were approved.
Chi Alpha is a Christian worship and social justice organization with branches on college campuses across the country. The group is associated with the Assemblies of God and Pentecostal denominations.
According to a presentation given at the meeting, the Chi Alpha branch at St. Thomas will host Thursday-evening worship services, Bible studies and small groups. The group would also financially sponsor a justice-related cause in another country for one semester and then visit the location on a mission trip the following semester.
Sophomores Gil Roscoe and Kyle Thomas also presented about the formation of a club baseball team, which they said would attract the 40-60 baseball lovers who are cut from the St. Thomas varsity team every year.
The team will join the National Club Baseball Association. There are six other teams in the Great Lakes — North conference with which the St. Thomas team will compete.
Both Chi Alpha and the club baseball team are considered exclusive clubs, which means they will receive less funding than the typical St. Thomas student organization. However, they will receive conference and competitions funding, according to USG Vice President of Finance Jen Gish.
Gish presented the newest funding requests from clubs for the week. USG now approves budgets on a rolling basis as clubs send in requests.
Fishing Club received $220 to attend a tournament with the College Muskie and Walleye League. This was the only request for conference and competitions funding.
USG also approved internal budget requests for four organizations. Fishing Club was given $350, Catholic Students Incorporated was allotted $110, ASIA Club received $350 and Band Club obtained $250 of funds.
There were two campus-wide event requests. USG approved $1,147 of funds for Save the Humans Week, hosted by Students for Human Life. For ASIA Club’s Asian-Pacific Islander Month kick-off event, USG allotted the club $1,413.
The May 1 meeting also served to swear in next year’s USG council. The following students will serve for the 2016-17 school year:
Mayzer Muhammad – President
Sarah Schuler – Executive Vice President
Ryan Foster – Vice President of Administrative Affairs
Jay Copland – Vice President Academic Affairs
Chris Meader – Vice President Finance
Gabrielle Ryan – Vice President of Diversity
Bobby Martin – Vice President of Public Relations
Andrew Sotis – Senior Class President
JB Stender – Junior Class President
Jenna Czarnecki – Junior Class Senator
Brielle Bierman – Junior Class Senator
Will Hancuch – Sophomore Class President
Sadie Buckel – Sophomore Class Senator
Jordan Hanson – Sophomore Class Senator
Madeline Davenport – Union Park Neighborhood Senator
George Hottinger – Mac-Groveland Neighborhood Senator
Jake Wisdorf – Transfer Senator
Sophie Carson can be reached at sophia.carson@stthomas.edu.